Seamless Gutter Vs. DIY Gutter

Hello all, today I’d like to go over the benefits of seamless gutter vs. the variety purchased at your typical DIY home improvement store and the importance of a good gutter installer.

DIY seems to be the new fad these days, what with all the big name home improvement stores and DIY shows; there’s even a cable network devoted to the greatness that is DIY. The mindset of DIY appeals to our human nature to be thrifty and save a buck but thrifty isn’t always the best route.
The drawbacks to DIY gutters are as follows….
1) The gutters are pieced together, often with superfluous seam bands and specialized pieces that have a built in outlet for the downspout, not to mention that any run longer than 10ft will require more than one piece of gutter
2) The seam bands are meant to be self sealing meaning no sealant is needed (at least that’s the best I can figure since almost every time I tear these off a house there is no sealant on the seam bands). As I’m sure you’ve guessed these often leak like a sieve.
3) Since this is a DIY project you are the installer. I’ve also seen these installed by a handyman (presumably at a cheaper cost than an actual gutter contractor). Nothing against homeowners or handymen but I’ve seen some realllllllly shoddy workmanship go into some of these installations resulting in gutters overflowing, leaking, or falling off the house.
4) They’re steel. Instead of aluminum these are usually made from steel which will eventually rust out, especially if they’re not installed correctly and are holding water.
5) They only come in dark brown or white. So unless you happen to have a house that is the same shade or dark brown or white you will have to paint your newly installed gutters in order to match your trim thereby adding to your expenses.

Alright, enough about the drawbacks of DIY, here are the benefits of hiring a gutter contractor….
1) The gutters are seamless. This means that every run on the house is one piece of continuous gutter. Yes there are seams where the corners meet and at the endcaps but as long as they are sealed properly there is no way for water to escape.
2) The gutters are aluminum and won’t rust out like steel gutters.
3) You get a warranty. My warranty is 5yrs on the labor and 20yrs on the material, be sure that your contractor has something similar in place and in writing.
4) There are 30 or so color options. I know 30 doesn’t seem like much but unless your house is painted pink or a bright shade of orange matching up colors is rarely an issue.
5) You don’t have to lift a finger except to sign a check. You can sit in the comfort of your home while the work gets done and if you’ve done your homework and hired a quality contractor you’ll be worry free with a great looking and functional gutter system that will protect your investment for years to come.
Cheers! Matt